Builds Box Rocket 1995 FZJ80 Build (2 Viewers)

[Arya Ebrahimi]

You can't run hubcentric wheel spacers on a 80

Doh! Of course Christo is right.

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Looks like a sweet starting point. Moonglow pearl is my favorite color 80. You just don't see very many of them.

 

[Box Rocket]

Was able to get a few pics this morning of the painted flares and a few other small things I've been able to address since getting it home on Saturday. The flares cleaned up nicely I think and look good with the black handles. There are a few interior shots too to show the seats. First off the flares.
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Now the seats. This is the only photo I have of the original seats. Both front seats were similar condition. The leather was torn and the foam was deteriorating badly.

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These are the seats I was able to replace them with. They came out of a '97. Like I said they are pretty dry right now, but I'll try to soften them up with some conditioner over the next few weeks. Power features work perfectly and they clean up the interior feel quite a bit.

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So a bunch of small things for now. Like the cupholder, cover for the steering wheel and some new floormats. I've got a crazy week this week so I'm not sure exactly how much time I'll have to start tearing stuff off of my '93 and getting it onto the '95 but I hope to find some time. One other little hiccup is that the 345 KM2s are on backorder so I may need to wait a bit for those.

 

[Box Rocket]

I'm striking out on tires. Nobody can get the 345/75/R16's. If I go to 37's I probably need to change rim size and I don't want to. And I dont' want to run 315s. Hmmm

 

[boogerballs]

This IS my old cruiser haha. The front and rear lockers don't work unless the PO fixed them. I believe the wiring harness off the trans is missing.

 

[Box Rocket]

The lockers have been fixed. They work great.

 

[boogerballs]

Nice. Do you know what the fix was?

 

[Box Rocket]

Nice. Do you know what the fix was?

I don't know the details. I talked to the guy that fixed them. He was the one that sold the truck to the guy I bought it from.

 

[Box Rocket]

Looks like everyone all over the country is out of the 345 KM2s so I've had to change plans on tires. Decided to go with some 315/75R16 Goodyear MTRs for now. They'll be a bit more driveable for now until I get the gears done then I'll look and moving up to 37's. The MTRs should be here right around Christmas time so it will likely be the first of the year before I've actually got them on the truck.

I did however, get the ARB bumper off my '93 last night. The bumper has definitely seen better days. For starters its a modified bumper with all the lower skirts cut off. All the winch brackets etc have been removed. I'll add a new winch mount when I get a winch for it but it will just use a Haws fairlead on the smooth face of the bumper since I plan to use synthetic rope. I like the better clearance it has. It's been well used on my '93 for more than a decade so it's got a couple of little dents and tweaks. Also since it's been sitting on the side of my house for a couple years the weather has been working on it and there were some rusty spots. I got it pulled off a couple nights ago and cleaned up. Sanded it down to bare steel and rattlecanned it with Rustoleum Satin since it has a finish that looks similar to the original powder coat. I got it mounted to the new truck this morning and moved over my HIDs from the Tacoma. It's starting to look a bit more like a real cruiser now.

 

[Box Rocket]

Last night Zach Scott from PrInSu Designs came over to measure it for one of his roof racks. He's been primarily focused on Tacomas and FJ Cruisers so this will be the first rack for a 80 series. I really like the design of his racks. All aluminum, low profile, very sturdy with good lines. One thing that will be great about it is the side rails will not have individual feet but a rail that runs the entire length of the gutter so the load will be spread out well and the load capacity should be outstanding. I think it will be the best looking rack option of 80 series cruisers on the market. He should have a prototype worked up to test fitment in a couple weeks and then the final version will be built.
Here's a photo of one of his Tacoma racks. This is actually two racks, one on the truck and one on the camper. But should give you an idea of the basic look of the one for the cruiser.

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[HDJDub]

Wow, I really like his style. Looking forward to seeing your truck with the rack when he's done!

 

[Box Rocket]

Here's some pics of the updates over the last few days. Some new 315s on the factory wheels. I'll be stripping and repainting the wheels in the next couple weeks just to get them cleaned up and looking nice. I also have a set of 1.5" spidertrax wheel spacers that will go on just to widen the stance a little.

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A few pics of the rear bumper. This thing took some elbow grease to get all cleaned up, but it turned out nice I think. I need to make final adjustment to the latch but it's all working well. This was a bumper kit designed by Wildyoats and there were about a dozen kits made a few years ago. I'm glad I got one of them while they were available. I really like the lines of the bumper and it works great.

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Finally a couple better photos of the ARB front bumper. This bumper is 15 years old and shows it. It took a lot of work to clean it up and there is a little pitting on the top surface, but it's still structurally sound. A winch will be added at some point but I like the clean front face and it will look nice with a haws fairlead.

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The front of the bumper was tough to get totally smooth so I did what I could to get it close and then used some scraps of carbon fiber vinyl I had and laid it down across the front. Turned out pretty good I think.

 

[Swifty80]

looking great mate, amazing how a set of mud terrains and front/rear bar transforms the look... love the clean look of the arb bar also........carbon mad little trick

 

[1973Guppie]

are you running 2.5 inch springs with the 215's? I am running 2 inch OEM springs and am thinking maybe some one inch spacers might do the trick when I go to 315's.

 

[Box Rocket]

are you running 2.5 inch springs with the 215's? I am running 2 inch OEM springs and am thinking maybe some one inch spacers might do the trick when I go to 315's.

Right now it has 2.5" Rancho springs on it. Those will be coming off very soon. I have some OME J springs and L shocks going on, along with some 1.5" spacers up front.

 

[Box Rocket]

reconfirmed my desire to have the new tires siped. We've been up in Idaho for the week and they don't plow the surface streets and it's been very cold so it's all iced over or hardpack. The MTRs do great in the deep snow but just like on my Tacoma they are lousy on hardpack and ice unless you have them siped. So hopefully this next week I'll get back in to the tire shop to have them siped.

 

[SNLC]

Right now it has 2.5" Rancho springs on it. Those will be coming off very soon. I have some OME J springs and L shocks going on, along with some 1.5" spacers up front.

I would be sure to flex it up once you have the new springs in but before doing shocks. I have 863J rears. I don't know what the fronts are, they are pretty stiff though. When I got the truck a bit over a year ago it had bad stink bug. I put in 2" MetalTech spacers to level it out which did the trick nicely. The truck now sits at exactly 1* from level. I had L shocks in it before I did the 2" spacers. After the spacers, only 3" of down travel left in the shocks. The suspension will droop way more than 3", even with the sway bar in it. I ended up having to go with 12" Fox as there really was not a lot of options for the right shocks length. King's but those are big money. Radflo's but I have heard to many bad reports on them to use. Maybe a Bilstien but don't think OME makes a shocks the right length when you are in the 4" of lift range. That is what it will be too with 863Js in the rear and the front leveled out. That is also about where you want to be for 37's. I was going to go 37's but just don't want to open up that can of worms at this time on my truck. 35's do me although I do admit they look a touch small.

In the end I have the 863J's in back, pretty loaded down too. 12" Fox back there and have 5.5" of up travel which I am happy with. In front ??? OME springs with 2" MT spacers and 12" Fox. I have 4" between the bump stop and axle on the front with 4.5" of up travel in the shock. I would feel better with 5.5" of up in the shock but feel safe with the 4.5". Sway bars and steering bind up the suspension in front and sway bar in rear long before the shocks are at their max droop. So thats good.

Maybe you will find it a bolt in and go job and be happy with it but I like things just right. So it has been a fairly deep rabbit hole for me. The final solution is a steering conversion and a cut & turn on the knuckles to set the front end up right for 4" of lift and not use any castor correction items. On top of this not having the shocks be the limiting point in the suspension, up or down. More than most people are willing to do.

Cheers

 

[Box Rocket]

I would be sure to flex it up once you have the new springs in but before doing shocks. I have 863J rears. I don't know what the fronts are, they are pretty stiff though. When I got the truck a bit over a year ago it had bad stink bug. I put in 2" MetalTech spacers to level it out which did the trick nicely. The truck now sits at exactly 1* from level. I had L shocks in it before I did the 2" spacers. After the spacers, only 3" of down travel left in the shocks. The suspension will droop way more than 3", even with the sway bar in it. I ended up having to go with 12" Fox as there really was not a lot of options for the right shocks length. King's but those are big money. Radflo's but I have heard to many bad reports on them to use. Maybe a Bilstien but don't think OME makes a shocks the right length when you are in the 4" of lift range. That is what it will be too with 863Js in the rear and the front leveled out. That is also about where you want to be for 37's. I was going to go 37's but just don't want to open up that can of worms at this time on my truck. 35's do me although I do admit they look a touch small.

In the end I have the 863J's in back, pretty loaded down too. 12" Fox back there and have 5.5" of up travel which I am happy with. In front ??? OME springs with 2" MT spacers and 12" Fox. I have 4" between the bump stop and axle on the front with 4.5" of up travel in the shock. I would feel better with 5.5" of up in the shock but feel safe with the 4.5". Sway bars and steering bind up the suspension in front and sway bar in rear long before the shocks are at their max droop. So thats good.

Maybe you will find it a bolt in and go job and be happy with it but I like things just right. So it has been a fairly deep rabbit hole for me. The final solution is a steering conversion and a cut & turn on the knuckles to set the front end up right for 4" of lift and not use any castor correction items. On top of this not having the shocks be the limiting point in the suspension, up or down. More than most people are willing to do.

Cheers

I've been running the J springs and L shocks with the 1.5" front spacers on my '93 cruiser for years and I've been really happy with the performance. That full setup is coming off the '93 and going onto this '95 so I'm sure it will work the same as it has in the past. It's possible that the shocks are limiting travel with this setup so I will probably check it and relocate shock mounts if necessary but it's not a big deal to me.

 

[SNLC]

I've been running the J springs and L shocks with the 1.5" front spacers on my '93 cruiser for years and I've been really happy with the performance. That full setup is coming off the '93 and going onto this '95 so I'm sure it will work the same as it has in the past. It's possible that the shocks are limiting travel with this setup so I will probably check it and relocate shock mounts if necessary but it's not a big deal to me.

Right on, I read on ExPo you had another Cruiser, I forgot about that. Mine worked pretty good too , even in the dunes but once in awhile I would hear the OME's bottom out in front. 3" just isn't much droop. On the front lowering the mounts would be easy, not so easy on the back. And that is the lower mounts, upper mounts near impossible in the rear and take lot's of cutting + welding in the front. Since my front shock is off by an inch from where I would like it, 5.5" up travel at ride height, I might lower the front bottom mount. Looks super easy but not sure it is worth it for an inch.

Cheers on the 37s, it is the way I wanted to go but didn't want to deal with gears, upgraded axle shafts, more out of whack castor, ect ect. 80's sure look best on 37's though! Did you run 37s on your 93?

Cheers

 

[Box Rocket]

I'll find out if I need to relocate shock mounts. Not afraid to tackle that if I need to. Also ended up staying with 35's instead of the 37's. Didn't really *need* 37's except for the looks so 35's will do.